Submarine bomb.



JOHN H. DOWNS, 0E JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

SUBMARINE BOMB.

Specification of Letters'latent.

Patented Jan. 7, 1919.

Application filed January 12, 1918. Serial No. 211,583.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. Downs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Submarine Bombs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to bombs adapted to be fired from naval guns, or dropped by an aviator into the water in the neighborhood of an object of attack, and to be exploded by the action of the Water.

The main object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which can be set to explode a predetermined time after the bomb strikes the water, and which will also be exploded by contact with the target. To this end, the device comprises two separable parts and trigger mechanism for firing the charge upon the separation of such parts. The parts are normally locked together and are separated as a result of pressure due to the passage of the bomb through the water.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood, reference is had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which one embodiment of the device is more or less conventionally illustrated, and in which,

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through my improved bomb, parts being shown in elevation;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 33 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section on an en larged scale on the line 44 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow.

Referring to the drawings in detail, my improved bomb comprises outer and inner cylindrical shells l and 3, the shell 1 being closed at the rear by a cap 2 and terminating in front in a pointed head 4. The shells are formed of comparatively thin material, such as sheet material, while the head is preferably of thick cast metal so as to have sufficient weight to hold the bomb to a true course. The head 1 is preferably provided with a transverse partition wall 5, and with a shouldered portion 6 which fits and is frictionally held within the end of the shell 1.

The inner shell 3 is rigidly secured at its I front end to the head 4 and at its rear end is closed by a plate 7-, having a flange 8 which snugly fits the outer shell and serves to maintain the inner shell properly centered.

VVithin the inner shell is a trigger mechanism designated in its entirety by the reference numeral 9, and comprising a plunger 10 actuated by a spring 11 and a trigger or detent 12. This trigger 12 is connected by means of a lanyardl3 with the plate 7. The plunger casing 9 is provided with a bail 14, which is also connected with the plate 7, a spring 15 being interposed in such connection.

The exploding charge is located at the front end of the inner shell and is designated by the numeral 17. Associated with the charge is a suitable detonating cap 16, or the like, adapted to be fired by the plunger 10. At the opposite end of the charge is a second detonating cap 18, arranged to be engaged by the inner end of a firing pin 19, extending through the partition wall 5 and having its outer end projecting slightly from the point of the head 4. This firing pin, of course, serves to explode the charge in case the end of the pin strikes the target or other solid object.

The inner and outer shells 1 and 3 are normally locked together by suitable interlocking parts, such, for example, as the lugs 20 and 21. In order to explode the charge a predetermined time after the bomb enters the water, means are provided for re leasing or disengaging the lugs 20 and 21 from each other, such means being operated by the water. The means here shown comprises a piston 25, carrying a plunger 24:,

having a pointed end adapted to engage between the beveled face 22 of the lug 20 and the lug 21, a suitable notch or opening 23 being formed in the lugs to permit the point of the plunger to enter. The piston 25 works in a cylinder 26, secured to the head 1, and communicating at its forward end with a passage 27 formed in such head. The passag 27 terminates in the tapering forward surface of the head i. It is obvious that when the bomb is projected through the water as, for example, by being fired from a gun, water will rush into and through the passage 27 and pressing against the piston 25, will force the plunger rearwardly, thus disengaging the-lugs 20 and 21. In order to regulate the rate at which the water enters the cylinder 26, and thus determine the time it will take for the cylinrr'deritr 'bpofil' 1 and the fpiston {toa al t;

-rality of holes or openings '29, of varying provide a slide28, or the like,"having'a plusizesfany one of Whichopenings maybe brought into 'registry with the mouth ofrthef passage 27. 1; It is Obvious that the'smaller] the opening, the'more time will be required men the cylinder andoperate the piston, and consequently, the 'greaterwill, be thef diatelyupon therelease of thelu-gs'QO and r 21. I haveshown a spring 30 for this pub pose, but iobyiouslyother means maybe employed; This spr ingli30ris confined between the plate-7 and the cap 2, apost 31, secured to the cap, serving to liniit the compression r offthe spring. When the lugs and'2l are i released by the water pressure acting on the plunger 24L, as above described, the, spring 7 forcibly ej'ects'the inner-shell 3-ai1dits associated:partssfrom the outer shell 1, the separation taking place at the point 6. As

th inner'shell passes out,theflange Swill engage one-of the lugs 20 and this will pull the plate 7 backward in such manner as to trip the trigger 12 and permit the springll tothrowthe plunger 10 against the cap 16, thus exploding the charge,- 1

It ill be appreciated that th principles aboveidescribed may be embodied-in anyde- V sired form of projectile'adapted to 'be fired from the naval guns ,now in use.

When attacking submarines with such a projectile it will not be necessary to accurately estimate the range and set a time fuse, as is the pres- Q r mam} 'ent v practice, but the only after the projectile strikes the water. Hence,

the charge can be made to explode at any clesired depth regardless of'the' distance the projectile travels before entering the water;

i What I claim is:

" '1. A submarine bomb comprising; inner an'd'outer cylindrical shells, c'o axia-lly ar- 7 ranged, an explosive charge 7 carried by the innerishell,means fofhol'din'g'said shells I together, water-operated means for-"releas- 7 ing said holding means, a spring for forcibly separating said shells when the holding means 1s.released,-,and means operated by the separation of said shells for firing the 'chargeff V v V. i v V 1 2 A submarine bomb compris ng inner V and outer shells, said shells bein g normal'ly locked together, an explosive charge carried means for separating" said shells after said by the inner shell, awater-pressure operated plunger for disengaging saidshells, spring.

plunger has operated,.and means forfiring said charge as the shells separate 7 V 3. A submarine bomb comprising. inner and outer sh'ells'normally. lockedtogether, 7

an explosive charge carried by, the'inner j shell, automatic means for separating said shells when unlocked, means for firing the charge by "the relative movementpf'the shells, a cylinder jand' piston'for unlocking said shells, the piston being actuated by waterpressure,and the cylinder'having a wag 'ter inlet and means for varying the size of such inlet. V V

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature. 7

Washington, D} (2..

' 7 JOHN- H. Downs.

i 2 Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Ret eats, 

